考試

See also: 考试

Chinese

		to check; to verify; to test to check; to verify; to test; to examine	to test; to try; experiment to test; to try; experiment; examination; test
trad. (考試)		考	試
simp. (考试)		考	试

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): kǎoshì

  (Zhuyin): ㄎㄠˇ ㄕˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): kao³ si⁴

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): kàosī

  (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): kǎoshiī

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): кошу (košu, II-I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): haau² si⁵ / haau² si³

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): haau² si³

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): hau² si¹

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): kháu-sṳ

  (Hailu, HRS): kau^ˊ shi^ˇ

• Jin (Wiktionary): kau² si³
• Eastern Min (BUC): kō̤-sé̤ṳ / kō̤-sé
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): kor³ si⁴
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): khó-chhì / khóⁿ-chhì

  (Teochew, Peng'im): kao² ci³

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): kaau² si³
• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁵khau-sy₅ / ³khau-sy₅ / ³khau-syu₅
  • (Jinhua): ³khau-sy₅
• Xiang (Hengyang, Wiktionary): kau³ xi⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kǎoshì
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄠˇ ㄕˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kǎoshìh
    • Wade–Giles: kʻao³-shih⁴
    • Yale: kǎu-shr̀
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: kaoshyh
    • Palladius: каоши (kaoši)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂɻ̩⁵¹/
    • Homophones:

      edit edit 考試 / 考试 考釋 / 考释

  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: kao³ si⁴
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: kaos
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰau⁵³ sɹ̩²¹³/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: kàosī
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰau⁵³ sɹ̩⁵⁵/
  • (Nanjing)
    • Nanjing Pinyin: kǎoshiī
    • Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): kao³ shii⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɔ¹¹ ʂɻ̩⁴⁴/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: кошу (košu, II-I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɔ⁵¹ ʂou²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: haau² si⁵ / haau² si³
    • Yale: háau síh / háau si
    • Cantonese Pinyin: haau² si⁵ / haau² si³
    • Guangdong Romanization: hao² xi⁵ / hao² xi³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /haːu̯³⁵ siː¹³/, /haːu̯³⁵ siː³³/
  • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: haau² si³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hau³⁵ si³²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: hau² si¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hau⁵⁵ si³³/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kháu-sṳ
    • Hakka Romanization System: kau^ˋ sii
    • Hagfa Pinyim: kau³ si⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰau̯³¹ sɨ⁵⁵/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: kau^ˊ shi^ˇ
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰau²⁴⁻³³ ʃi¹¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: kau² si³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /kʰau⁵³ sɹ̩⁴⁵/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: kō̤-sé̤ṳ / kō̤-sé
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰo³³⁻⁵⁵ ^(s-)løy²¹³/, /kʰo³³⁻⁵⁵ ^(s-)lɛi²¹³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kor³ si⁴ [Phonetic: kor⁵ li⁴]
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: kô̤-si̍
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɒ⁴⁵³⁻¹¹ ^(ɬ-)li⁴²/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: kor³ si⁴ [Phonetic: kor⁵ li⁴]
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɒ³³²⁻²¹ ^(ɬ-)li⁴²/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khó-chhì
    • Tâi-lô: khó-tshì
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qoychix
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei): /kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰi¹¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰi²¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰi²¹/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khóⁿ-chhì
    • Tâi-lô: khónn-tshì
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qvofchix
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰɔ̃⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sʰi⁴¹/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: kao² ci³
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kháu tshì
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰau⁵²⁻³⁵ t͡sʰi²¹³/
• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: kaau² si³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰau³³ si⁵⁵/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁵khau-sy₅
    • MiniDict: khau^去 sy^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²khau-sr₂
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /kʰɔ³³ sɹ̩⁴⁴/
  • (Northern: Songjiang, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo)
    • Wugniu: ³khau-sy₅
    • MiniDict: khau^上 sy^去
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /kʰɔ⁴⁴ sɹ̩⁴⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /kʰɔ⁵⁵ sɹ̩²¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /kʰɒ³³⁵ sɹ̩⁵²/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /kʰɔ³³ sɹ̩³⁵/
  • (Northern: Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ³khau-syu₅
    • MiniDict: khau^上 syu^去
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /kʰæ⁵² sɹ̩ʷ¹¹/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ³khau-sy₅
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /kʰɑu⁵³ sɹ̩⁵⁵/
• Xiang
  • (Hengyang)
    • Wiktionary: kau³ xi⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɑʊ̯³³ ɕi³²⁴/

---

• Middle Chinese: khawX syiH

Rime
Character	考	試
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	溪 (29)	書 (26)
Final (韻)	豪 (89)	之 (19)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open	Open
Division (等)	I	III
Fanqie	苦浩切	式吏切
Baxter	khawX	syiH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kʰɑuX/	/ɕɨH/
Pan Wuyun	/kʰɑuX/	/ɕɨH/
Shao Rongfen	/kʰɑuX/	/ɕieH/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kʰawX/	/ɕɨH/
Li Rong	/kʰɑuX/	/ɕiəH/
Wang Li	/kʰɑuX/	/ɕĭəH/
Bernhard Karlgren	/kʰɑuX/	/ɕiH/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	kǎo	shì
Expected Cantonese Reflex	hou2	si3

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*k-r̥ˤuʔ  l̥ək-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*kʰluːʔ  hljɯɡs/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	考	試
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	kǎo	shì
Middle Chinese	‹ khawX ›	‹ syiH ›
Old Chinese	/*k-r̥ˁuʔ/	/*l̥ək-s/
English	old; deceased father	test, try
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	考	試
Reading #	1/1	1/1
No.	7404	14971
Phonetic component	丂	弋
Rime group	幽	代
Rime subdivision	1	0
Corresponding MC rime	考	試
Old Chinese	/*kʰluːʔ/	/*hljɯɡs/

Noun

考試

1. test (of a person's proficiency or knowledge); examination; exam (Classifier: 次 m; 場／场 m; 門／门 m)

   模擬考試／模拟考试  ―  mónǐ kǎoshì  ―  mock test

   期末考試／期末考试  ―  qīmò kǎoshì  ―  end-of-term examination

   要是考試不及格的話，怎麼辦？ [MSC, trad.]
   要是考试不及格的话，怎么办？ [MSC, simp.]

   Yàoshi kǎoshì bù jígé dehuà, zěnme bàn? [Pinyin]

   If I don't pass my exams, what do I do?

   他的考試成績很好。 [MSC, trad.]
   他的考试成绩很好。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā de kǎoshì chéngjì hěn hǎo. [Pinyin]

   His exam result is very good.

   兩天要準備八門的考試，她恐怕吃不消。 [MSC, trad.]
   两天要准备八门的考试，她恐怕吃不消。 [MSC, simp.]

   Liǎng tiān yào zhǔnbèi bā mén de kǎoshì, tā kǒngpà chībùxiāo. [Pinyin]

   She feared she wouldn't be able to handle preparing for eight exams in two days.

Derived terms

• 入學考試 / 入学考试 (rùxué kǎoshì)
• 公考 (gōngkǎo)
• 標準化考試 / 标准化考试 (biāozhǔnhuà kǎoshì)
• 漢語水平考試 / 汉语水平考试 (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì)
• 考公 (kǎogōng)
• 考點 / 考点 (kǎodiǎn)

Verb

考⫽試 (verb-object)

1. to take a test; to sit an examination; to have an exam

   我今天考試了。／我今天考试了。  ―  Wǒ jīntiān kǎoshì le.  ―  I had an exam today.

   大部分的學生都考完了試。 [MSC, trad.]
   大部分的学生都考完了试。 [MSC, simp.]

   Dàbùfèn de xuéshēng dōu kǎo wán le shì. [Pinyin]

   Most of the students have finished the exam.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 考試 (“to take an examination”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		考試, 測試, 課試
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	考試
	Harbin	考試
	Malaysia	考試
	Singapore	考試
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	考試
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	考試
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	考試
	Xi'an	考試
	Xining	考試
	Xuzhou	考試
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	考試
	Lanzhou	考試
	Ürümqi	考試
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	考試
	Guiyang	考試
	Guilin	考試
	Liuzhou	考試
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	考試
	Yangzhou	考試
Cantonese	Hong Kong	考試
	Dongguan	考試
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	考試, 考書
Hakka	Yudu	考試
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	考試
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	考試
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	考試
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	考試
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	考試
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	考試
	Kuala Lumpur (Huiyang)	考試
Huizhou	Jixi	考試
Jin	Taiyuan	考試
	Xinzhou	考試
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	考書
	Sitiawan (Gutian)	考書
Southern Min	Xiamen	考試
	Quanzhou	考試
	Jinjiang	考冊
	Zhangzhou	考試
	Zhao'an	考試
	Tainan	考試
	Penang (Hokkien)	考冊
	Singapore (Hokkien)	考冊
	Manila (Hokkien)	考冊
	Medan (Hokkien)	考冊
	Singapore (Teochew)	考書
	Haikou	考試
	Qionghai	考試
Puxian Min	Putian	考書
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	考書
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	考書
	Xianyou	考書
	Xianyou (Fengting)	考書
	Xianyou (Youyang)	考書
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	考試
Wu	Shanghai	考試
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	考試
	Shanghai (Chongming)	考書
	Suzhou	考試
	Danyang	考試
	Hangzhou	考試
	Shaoxing	考試
	Ningbo	考試
	Wenzhou	考試
	Jinhua	考試
	Jinhua (Tangxi)	考字
Xiang	Hengyang	考試

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (考試):

• → Japanese: 考(こう)試(し) (kōshi)
• → Korean: 고시(考試) (gosi)
• → Vietnamese: khảo thí (考試)

See also

• 測驗／测验 (cèyàn)

Further reading

• “考試”, in 重編國語辭典修訂本 [Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese), National Academy for Educational Research (Taiwan), 2021.
• “考試”, in 《教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典》 [Ministry of Education Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Taiwanese Hokkien), 中華民國教育部 [Ministry of Education, R.O.C.], 2026.
• “考試”, in 《臺灣客語辭典》 [Dictionary of Taiwan Hakka] (overall work in Mandarin and Hakka), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2022.
• 李如龙 [Lǐ Rúlóng]; 刘福铸 [Liú Fúzhù]; 吴华英 [Wú Huáyīng]; 黄国城 [Huáng Guóchéng] (2019), 《莆仙方言调查报告》 [Investigation Report on the Puxian Topolect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), 厦门大学出版社 [Xiamen University Press], →ISBN, page 32.

Japanese

Kanji in this term
考	試
こう Grade: 2	し Grade: 4
on'yomi

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ko̞ːɕi]
• (Tokyo) こーし [kóꜜòshì] (Atamadaka – [1])

Noun

考(こう)試(し) • (kōshi) 

1. test; exam

Korean

Hanja in this term
考	試

Noun

考試 • (gosi) (hangeul 고시)

1. hanja form^? of 고시 (“examination, exam, test”)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
考	試

Noun

考試

1. chữ Hán form of khảo thí (“examination, exam, test”)